Clinton: Internet Freedom Will Suffer if US Gives Up Oversight

[Supersedeas]

Source: CBS

Clinton believes that President Barack Obama’s plan to give up control of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the non-profit organization responsible for managing Web domains and IP standards, will enable foreign governments to crack down and limit Internet freedom.

“Governments that want to gag people and restrict access to the Internet” will be empowered by introducing a system of global oversight, Clinton said.






Read more: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/03/25/clinton-internet-freedom-will-suffer-if-us-gives-up-oversight/

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Why would the Obama Administration be in favor of this? Didn't the first lady make a splash while in China when she declared that the Internet should be accessible to everyone?

[Renew Deal]

1. Relax, the U.S. hasn't lost the Internet

After watching Crimea slip away, the hawks in Washington must have been spoiling for a fight -- any fight. Because much of the reaction against the U.S. Commerce Department's decision to let its contract with Internet governance organization ICANN lapse in September 2015 has been decidedly bellicose and over the top.

Fox News accused Obama of giving away the Internet, the Wall Street Journal's headline announced "America's Internet Surrender," and former House speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted that "Every American should worry about Obama giving up control of the Internet to an undefined group. This is very, very dangerous."
<snip>

On Wednesday the Commerce Department pushed back against critics, with NTIA head Larry Strickling saying "Our announcement has led to some misunderstanding about our plan, with some individuals raising concern that the U.S. government is abandoning the Internet. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Strickling noted that the NTIA will need to sign off on any ICANN proposal for a new global Internet governance model.

Any transition plan must meet the conditions of supporting the multistakeholder process and protecting the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet. I have emphasized that we will not accept a proposal that replaces NTIA's role with a government-led or an intergovernmental solution. Until the community comes together on a proposal that meets these conditions, we will continue to perform our current stewardship role.
<snip>

http://www.infoworld.com/t/internet/relax-the-us-hasnt-lost-the-internet-238804

This is a long planned change.

[Supersedeas]

4. But, why set the transition in motion is the conditions have not already been met?

[Mnpaul]

13. Agreement signed in 2006

On September 29, 2006, ICANN signed a new agreement with the United States Department of Commerce (DOC) that moves the organization further towards a solely multistakeholder governance model.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICANN

Bush did it.

It obviously bothers those who want to control the internet by blocking access to "unwanted" sites.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I don't know much about the ramifications of this decision, but I haven't seen what

political advantage this gives Obama, or what advantage the US would gain by giving up this control. Maybe he should get this reversed.

[closeupready]

3. Oh, the irony.

[NorthCarolina]

5. Here in the US, I think the loss of Net neutrality is the biggest threat to internet freedom...

or lack thereof.

[Supersedeas]

6. the threat is coming from various angles and sources

[awoke_in_2003]

9. Whether it is public education...

the social safety netor whatever else you can think of, they never come from one direction.

[L0oniX]

7. That does it ...damn it all ...I'm going back to BBS.

[DallasNE]

8. Depends On How It Would Be Configured

Yes, Clinton says "in theory why we would like to have a multi-stakeholder process" is understandable so what he is saying is that he doesn't trust Obama to sufficiently protect American interests. Either that or he is lobbying for an American venture. Lastly, the article does not provide enough detail to support a single conclusion.

[seabeckind]

10. More worried about Comcast

Thinking about it....

ole bill wouldn't be politickin for somebody, would he?

[OnyxCollie]

11. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Supersedeas]

15. Exactly

[Trillo]

12. Umm ... Net neutraility has failed

and ISPs are working hard to insure the Internet favors vertical integration. Another name for that failure is censorship.

[grahamhgreen]

14. Why? My guess is it's a plan to privatize ICANN so the hoarding class can control it.

Where will the money go?